The use of communication channels of many types has increased greatly, given the proliferation of digitized communication technologies. Similarly, the use of personal networking services has also increased greatly, especially in areas using social media. Social media may be described as interaction among users of digitized communication, forming virtual communities that create, exchange, share and comment on the content of the digitized communication.
Communication channels in widespread use include, for example, telephone voice channels, cellular phone text message channels, computerized instant messaging channels, electronic mail channels, as well as others. Social media networks may utilize Internet-based applications running on mobile and web-based technologies that enable users of social media, thus expanding communications between individuals, communities and organizations.
Social media has become one of the most powerful sources for news updates, information sources, career and professional connections, and topic communities. In addition, social media sources create new opportunities for businesses, which are able to utilize social media for marketing research, sales promotions, and customer relationship development, among others purposes. Different types of social media include collaborative projects, blogs or micro-blogs, social networking sites and topic-specific content communities.
Many media applications enable the creation of user-generated content that may typically be displayed or “posted” to a website page on the internet that can be subscribed to or searched by users. Media content can also be distributed as short message service (SMS), messages. One method of sharing public communication content is by repeating or “re-posting” of one user's content by another user; making the content available to users referred to as “followers” who search for or subscribe to communications by a particular author. Re-posting content extends awareness of new or updated content for view by additional audiences. However, when shared content is “re-posted” or repeated by another user, the content may be intentionally or unintentionally altered. Changes to content can be made in re-postings that may still be equivalent in meaning to the original communication, however, there may be cases in which edits are made that are clearly not equivalent to the original communication.